Page:Romance of the Three Kingdoms - tr. Brewitt-Taylor - Volume 1.djvu/229

 The condemned man heard him but uttered no word. He stretched out his neck for the blow. Tears sprang to the eyes of all present. His remains were honourably coffined and buried in Hsütu.

A poem pitying his fate says:—

While Ts‘ao sadly escorted Ch‘ên Kung on the way to death, Lü Pu appealed to Yüan-tê, “Noble Sir, you sit there an honoured guest while poor I lie bound at your feet. Will you not utter one word to alleviate my lot?”

Yüan-tê nodded. As Tsʻao Ts‘ao returned to his place his prisoner called out, “Your only trouble, Illustrious Sir, is myself and I am on your side now. You take the lead, I will help you and together the world is at our feet.”

“What do you think?” said Ts‘ao turning to Liu Pei.

“You are willing to forget the episodes of Ting Yüan and Tung Cho?”

“Truly the lout is not to be trusted,” said Lü Pu, looking at Yüan-tê.

“Strangle and expose,” said Ts‘ao.

As he was led away the prisoner turned once more to Yüan-tê, “You long-eared lout, you forget now the service I rendered you that day at my yamên gate, when my arrow hit the mark.”

Just then some one shouted, “Lü Pu, O fool! death is but death, and why are you scared at it?”

Every one turned to look; the lictors were hustling Chang Liao to the place of judgement.

A poet has written upon the death of Lü Pu:—

And another poem says:—